Ludhiana, July 15
To train the teachers from various schools of the State, the Punjab State Council of Science and Technology (PSCST) organised a five-day workshop on Hydroponics that concluded today at Government Senior Secondary Model School, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana.

The theme of the workshop was ‘Fun with plants in soil-less conditions’.

Mohammad Jawaid Alam from Kankarbagh ( Patna) and Mr VK Tyagi from the RVPSP, New Delhi, were the resource persons. Ms Kusum Lata, state awardee, PAU and Dr Rajiv Sharma, MM Modi College, Patiala, were the local resource persons.

During the workshop, special lectures were organised . Dr NK Sekhon, Dr S.S. Gossal and Dr Gurbhajan Gill from PAU spoke on the latest methods in agriculture and communication.

Dr Neelam Gulati, Principal Scientific Officer, and Dr K.S. Bath (PSCST)stressed on popularisation of science and technology. Dr S.S. Gill , Director, Extension Education, PAU, suggested that such workshops should be organised frequently and in every district to make the people understand the uses of science in daily life.

Principal Gurdip Kaur of the host school accorded full cooperation to the workshop. The workshop was organised by the PSCST in broad pursuit of the objectives of popularising sciences and indigenous technology and stimulating and nurturing scientific temper among the students and the teaching community.

Ludhiana, July 15
Finally providing relief to 79 students of Government Elementary School in Prem Nagar, who were made to sit under a partially collapsed roof, the District Education Department has shifted the children to Government School, Shahpur road.

Ms Harvinder Kaur, District Education Officer, Elementary, said it was a stop-gap arrangement and children would be called back one the building was repaired.

She said the Education Department was moving an application in court to allow the department to undertake repairs of the building at the department’s cost.

The students were studying in the dilapidated building for the past many months as the matter of possession of the building was in court. The building was rented out to the Education Department by Mitter Sabha, a private body, for the past five decades. He had recently moved court, claiming these possession of the building.

Ludhiana, July 15
The parents of students of the College of Nursing in Christian Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) today staged a protest and submitted a memorandum to the college authorities against a hefty increase in the annual fee and other charges for the second and third year students. The protesting parents maintained that the increase in the fee from around Rs 42,000 to Rs 81,400 was arbitrary and uncalled for.

The CMCH management, however, justified the fee hike, which it claimed, had been done as per the decision taken by the Christian Medical College Ludhiana Society in its meetings held on April 19 and June 29.

According to Dr John Pramod, Acting Director of the CMCH, the government has yet to notify the fee structure of the CMC for its medical, dental and nursing colleges, and it has not provided any financial assistance to the institution.

In the memorandum submitted by the parents, it was pointed out that the fee hike had not been approved by the Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, with which the college was affiliated. Moreover, when the Justice G.R. Majithia Committee, set up on the directions of the Supreme Court, had recommended an annual fee of Rs 30,000 for nursing colleges, the CMCH management ought to fix the tuition fee and other charges within that range.

The parents also questioned the justification for charging library fee when there was no well-stocked library for the students and an annual establishment fee of Rs 10,000 from the nursing students.

Mr Narinder Singh, parent of a nursing student from Amritsar, told Ludhiana Tribune that the majority of the parents of nursing students belonged to economically weaker sections and they had sent their wards for nursing studies with the hope that after graduation the children would be in a position to support their families. “Many of us (parents of nursing students) are not in a position to bear the additional burden of massive fee hike and even the prevailing annual fee seems to be a little too much to us.”

Doraha, July 15
The Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union demanded the release of members of the Unemployed Elementary teachers Union who were arrested while protesting outside Mr Harnam Dass Johars house on July 9.

In a joint statement, the unionists, including Prof Parminder Singh, area secretary, Prof Kuldeep Singh and Prof Baldeep Singh, executive members, Prof Khushwinder Kumar district president, have termed it as “dictatorial” step by the government.

Ludhiana, July 15
To encourage and promote rural sports in the region, the newly constituted Punjab Rural Sports Promotion Council (PRSPC) has chalked out a comprehensive plan to bring all major rural sports clubs of the state under one roof.

Giving details, Mr Ramesh Singla, Chairman, PRSPC, said for this purpose, the state had been divided into five units — Malwa I, Malwa II, Doaba, Majha and Pepsu.

The Malwa unit I comprises of Ludhiana and Moga with Mr Sharanjit Singh Thrike its president;

Mr Nishant Singh Randhawa would head the Majha unit which has Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Ferozepore.

Talking to the Ludhiana Tribune, Mr Singla said after the success of the inaugural felicitation function organised by the council here last month, it had been resolved to enhance the prize money from next year. During this function, the council had honoured hockey star Prabhjot Singh, international athlete Manjeet Kaur and veteran writer and sports promoter Jaswant Singh Kanwal for their outstanding contribution in the field of sports.

They were given the Amarjeet Grewal Punjab Khed Ratan Award along with a cash prize of Rs 25,000 each.

Mr Singla further said that from next year, the prize money would be Rs 50,000. Besides, the best rural sports club and the best coach would be honoured. They would be given a cash prize of Rs 25,000 each, he added.

“The dates for the next session’s sports festivals would be finalised during the meeting of the council to be held in the month of September.

“The interested clubs may contact any office bearer of the council for enrolment after paying a nominal fee of Rs 1,000,” Mr Singla added.